Salvatore giunta biography

A Soldier who bounded forward to recover wounded during an ambush in Afghanistan was the Army's first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam conflict.

Staff Sgt.

Salvatore Giunta got a call, Sept. 9, , from then-President Barack Obama, letting him know he will be that Medal of Honor recipient due to the efforts he made in Afghanistan to save the lives of fellow Soldiers, even though doing so put his own life in the balance.

It was for Giunta's actions, Oct.

25, , in the Korengal Valley's Gatigal Spur in Afghanistan that he earned the nation's highest honor. It was then, serving as part of 1st Platoon, Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, rd Infantry Regiment, rd Airborne Brigade, that he and his team were ambushed by Anti-Afghan Forces armed with AKs, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

Salvatore ("Sal") Augustine Giunta was born in Iowa, the winter of He is the oldest of three children of Steven, a medical equipm